REPORTAGE – If the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, supports the businesses of young settlers, the Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, has decided to prevent them.
Special envoy to Or Haim
The hill is located in the north of the West Bank, along Route 505, a strategic axis that connects the settlement of Ariel, to the west, with that of Ma’ale Efraim, to the east: beyond is the Jordan Valley. From Ariel, we quickly take a fast lane and reach Tel-Aviv. For the Israelis, this region is called Samaria. For the Palestinians and the international community, it is the governorate of Nablus.
Leaving Route 505, a dirt road climbs to the top of the hill, but it can no longer be taken by car: a bulldozer has just dumped a pile of earth and stones there. Above, an Israeli border police patrol watches over a landscape of rocks, thorns and olive trees. From there, you can see the solid silhouette of another Israeli settlement, Migdalim, also located along Route 505. The call to prayer from neighboring Palestinian villages is also heard.
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